LitPick Student Book Reviews logo
The Tightrope Walkers
The Tightrope Walkers
The Tightrope Walkers
David Almond
International award winner David Almond draws on memories of his early years in Tyneside, England, for a moving coming-of-age novel, masterfully told.A gentle visionary coming of age in the shadow of the shipyards of northern England, Dominic Hall is torn between extremes. On the one hand, he craves the freedom he feels when he steals away with the eccentric girl artist next door, Holly Stroud—his first and abiding love—to balance above the earth on a makeshift tightrope. With Holly, Dom dreams of a life different in every way from his shipbuilder dad’s, a life fashioned of words and images and story. On the other hand, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to the brutal charms of Vincent McAlinden, a complex bully who awakens something wild and reckless and killing in Dom. In a raw and beautifully crafted bildungsroman, David Almond reveals the rich inner world of a boy teetering on the edge of manhood, a boy so curious and open to impulse that we fear for him and question his balance—and ultimately exult in his triumphs.
1 Vote

Book Details

Genre: 

  • Fiction

Age Level: 

  • Mature Young Adult
The Tightrope Walkers review by 123evae123
Profile Picture
123evae123

This novel is about a boy who is coming of age in northern England. The book starts with a young Dominic Hall walking on a stone wall with his friend, Holly Stroud. He is then victimized by local bully, Vincent McAlinden. As the book progresses the story dynamic among all three characters changes drastically as Dominic decides that Holly is pitying him and begins to find a strange friendship with Vincent. The twisted friendship between Dominic and Vincent worries Dominic's mother, and after her death Dominic realizes that Holly is a much safer choice for friendship.

Rating:
5
Five Star Award
Content Rating:

Content rating - mature content
What's this?
Recommended Books
Barely Missing Everything
Dealing in Dreams
The Revenge of Magic
Best Family Ever
To add your comments, login above or request a LitPick membership.
RECENT BOOK REVIEWS
SHOW ME MORE!

ABOUT LITPICK BOOK REVIEWS

BECOME A REVIEWER

LitPick inspires  our global community of reviewers of all ages (from third grade into adulthood) to read and review books and uses feedback and incentives to encourage them to become better writers.

AUTHORS - PUBLISHERS

LitPick provides authors and publishers book reviews and a means to promote their titles worldwide through written book reviews, video book reviews, and social media blasts.

TEACHERS - LIBRARIANS

LitPick helps teachers and librarians promote reading and writing through book clubs, reading groups, and individualized, personal feedback on written book reviews.

QUESTIONS?

 

© LitPick 2024. All Rights Reserved.